AVG Antivirus represents one of the established names in cybersecurity protection, with a history spanning over three decades and a user base exceeding 400 million endpoints across mobile and desktop devices. The software has achieved top-tier certifications from independent testing laboratories, demonstrating comprehensive protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, and emerging cyber threats through multiple layers of defense mechanisms. Based on extensive independent testing results, user data analysis, and comparative evaluations against industry competitors, AVG Antivirus proves to be a legitimate and trustworthy security solution that delivers effective malware detection and removal capabilities while maintaining reasonable system performance impacts. However, like all antivirus software, users should understand both its strengths and limitations to make informed decisions about their cybersecurity needs.
Company Background and Ownership Structure
Founding and Evolution
AVG Technologies was founded in 1990 in Brno, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) by Tomáš Hofer and Jan Gritzbach under the original name Grisoft. The company initially focused on selling IT equipment and third-party software alongside its own antivirus products. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Grisoft expanded internationally, establishing operations in Europe and eventually entering the American market. By 2008, the parent company officially changed its name to AVG Technologies to reflect the established brand recognition of its flagship antivirus software. This long operational history dating back more than three decades provides evidence of sustained business operations and technical expertise in cybersecurity development.
Acquisition by Avast and Current Ownership
In July 2016, the Czech-based Avast Software acquired AVG Technologies for approximately $1.3 billion, creating what became the world’s largest antivirus company with an estimated 20 percent market share. At the time of acquisition, AVG had 600 employees, $155 million in annual revenue, and 95 million users. The combined entity incorporated technologies from both companies and developed new channel programs for marketing to small business owners. Subsequently, in September 2022, Avast and Norton merged to form Gen Digital, a global company consolidating multiple trusted security brands. This corporate structure demonstrates that AVG operates as part of a larger, well-established cybersecurity organization with substantial resources for maintaining and updating security infrastructure. AVG is currently part of Gen Digital, which has its principal place of business at 1737/1A Pikrtova, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
Independent Laboratory Testing Results and Certifications
AV-TEST Institute Certifications
The AV-TEST Institute, an internationally recognized independent testing organization, conducts rigorous evaluations of antivirus products across multiple criteria including protection, performance, and usability. In their most recent testing cycles of 2024 and early 2025, AVG consistently achieved perfect scores of 100 out of 100 points in all three evaluation categories. Specifically, AVG Antivirus received a “TOP PRODUCT” certification from AV-TEST in January-February 2025, matching the same score achieved by Norton, one of the most popular and respected antivirus programs in the industry. The consistency of these high scores across multiple testing periods throughout 2024 and 2025 demonstrates sustained protective capabilities against evolving malware threats. This top-tier performance is particularly significant because AV-TEST’s testing methodology is transparent, reproducible, and conducted according to defined standards that ensure comparability across different products.
In December 2024, AV-TEST awarded AVG the distinction of “Best MacOS Security for Consumer Users” in their annual awards program. This award specifically recognized AVG’s effectiveness in detecting and fending off attackers while demonstrating minimal system resource consumption on macOS platforms, enabling the software to operate reliably in the background without burdening the operating system.
AV-Comparatives Test Results
AV-Comparatives, another highly respected independent testing laboratory based in Innsbruck, Austria, conducts comprehensive evaluations simulating real-world cyber threat scenarios. Recent testing from early 2025 demonstrates that AVG achieved Advanced+ grades across multiple test categories, the highest rating possible in the AV-Comparatives evaluation framework. In specific tests conducted in March 2025, AVG demonstrated a malware protection rate of 99.96%, significantly outperforming several competitors including ESET, Microsoft Defender, and Malwarebytes. This exceptionally high detection rate indicates that AVG successfully identifies and isolates nearly all malware samples presented during testing scenarios.
The Real-World Protection Test conducted in February-March 2025 showed that AVG blocked 99.5% of real-world threats presented to the software. In this same test period, AVG achieved perfect scores across protection, performance, and usability metrics, matching the highest ratings across these categories. AVG also received a Gold Award for Real-World Protection and a Bronze Award for Advanced Threat Protection in AV-Comparatives’ 2024 Consumer Main-Test Series. Additionally, AVG received “Approved Mobile Security Product” and “Approved Mac Security Product” certifications, indicating comprehensive protective capabilities across multiple operating system platforms.
SE Labs Certification Results
SE Labs, a United Kingdom-based antivirus testing laboratory, provides quarterly evaluations for both consumer and business antivirus products. In their testing, AVG tied for second place with a total accuracy rating of 99%, with protection accuracy of 96% and legitimate accuracy (false positive rate) of 100%. This performance placed AVG behind only Kaspersky, McAfee, and Norton 360 in the testing hierarchy.
Malware Detection and Protection Capabilities
Deep Scanning and Detection Mechanisms
AVG employs multiple scanning methodologies to detect threats across different threat vectors and system locations. The deep scan functionality performs comprehensive examination of all files, folders, and system memory, specifically targeting advanced threats like rootkits and other deeply embedded malware. During testing, AVG’s deep scan completed in approximately 5 minutes 20 seconds and successfully detected 100% of 1,200 malware samples used in testing scenarios. This combination of speed and detection accuracy demonstrates effective engineering of the scanning engine to balance thoroughness with system performance.
The scanning engine utilizes machine learning and heuristic analysis to identify previously unknown malware variants and zero-day threats. This approach enables detection of malware that does not match known signature patterns in the database. In testing against zero-day threats (previously undocumented malware variants), AVG achieved a 99.5% success rate in identifying and containing the threats.
Real-Time Protection Mechanisms
AVG’s real-time protection operates continuously as a background process, scanning files and applications before they execute on the system. During real-time protection testing, AVG successfully blocked malware downloads and prevented execution of malicious files, demonstrating effective interception of threats before they could compromise the system. The real-time protection component works alongside the firewall and web shield to provide layered defense against multiple attack vectors simultaneously.
The software implements multiple protective layers working in concert: the File Shield scans files as they are accessed or downloaded, the Web Shield protects against malicious websites and phishing attempts, the Email Shield scans incoming and outgoing emails for dangerous attachments and malicious links, and the Behavior Shield monitors program activities for suspicious patterns indicative of malware behavior. This multi-layered approach ensures that threats are detected through multiple independent mechanisms, reducing the likelihood that sophisticated malware could evade all detection methods.
Ransomware and Behavioral Protection
Ransomware protection represents a critical security feature given the prevalence and severity of ransomware attacks targeting both individuals and organizations. AVG’s ransomware defense includes a dedicated Enhanced Ransomware Protection feature that monitors for unusual file system modification patterns characteristic of ransomware encryption activities. During independent testing of ransomware samples, AVG’s behavior blocker successfully detected and prevented execution of multiple ransomware variants including AtomSilo, Cerber, and Scarab, protecting test files from encryption.
However, it should be noted that some testing identified limitations in AVG’s ransomware protection, specifically that the feature safeguards only specific designated folders rather than the entire system. Additionally, a ransomware simulation test revealed that AVG’s basic ransomware protection failed to prevent one ransomware sample from encrypting files, indicating that the protection, while functional, is not perfect against all ransomware variants.
Privacy and Data Collection Practices
Data Collection and Transparency
As part of the Gen Digital group, AVG collects personal data to provide security services and maintain its threat intelligence databases. The company’s privacy policy, last updated in August 2025, explicitly states that personal data collection is necessary to provide “the best weapons and the most up-to-date security” against cyber threats. AVG collects direct identifiers including location data, personal information, and device identifiers, which are essential for threat detection and analysis.
The company implements a principle of proportionality in data collection, striving to collect no more personal data than required for stated purposes. For free versions of the software, AVG disconnects or removes direct identifiers from personal data at the time of initial product activation. For paid users, billing data is maintained in a separate database and minimized for uses beyond payment processing and financial management.
IP Address Processing
IP addresses are collected during product provision, installation, authorization, and fraud detection processes. This collection is necessary for downloading and installing products, authorizing licenses, detecting malware and fraud, facilitating billing processes, and delivering content appropriate to device settings and language preferences. AVG processes IP addresses to troubleshoot technical issues and generate diagnostic reports assisting users with technical problems.
International Data Transfers
As a global company, AVG transfers personal data internationally across its organizational structure, subsidiaries, and third-party vendors located worldwide, including transfers to the United States and other countries. Data transfers within the Gen Digital group are conducted pursuant to intra-group data transfer agreements incorporating EU Commission-approved standard contractual clauses (SCCs). The transfers are further covered by the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, UK Extension, and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework as established by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Before transferring data to third parties, AVG evaluates risks and requires third parties to maintain the same protective measures over user data that the company provides directly.
Threat Intelligence and Security Improvement
AVG may share threat intelligence information with other security companies and experts to improve collective threat detection models. The company analyzes samples of files and URLs detected on user devices to maintain threat intelligence resources at the highest level possible. This collaborative approach enhances protection across the entire security industry ecosystem by enabling faster identification and response to emerging threats.
System Performance and Resource Impact
CPU Usage and Scan Performance
AVG’s impact on system performance varies depending on scanning activity intensity and overall system load. During full system scans, AVG utilizes between 12 to 14 percent of CPU resources and typically requires approximately one hour to complete. This CPU usage level falls within the acceptable range for antivirus software, though it represents slightly higher utilization than some competitor products that use between 8 to 13 percent of CPU during similar scans. The quick scan functionality operates more efficiently, using between 4 to 7 percent of CPU and completing in minutes rather than hours.
Some users have reported experiencing higher CPU utilization from AVG background services, with instances of AVG Services consuming more than 40 percent of CPU resources in isolated cases. However, such high utilization appears to be intermittent and potentially related to specific scan operations or system configurations rather than continuous baseline behavior. Supporting this observation, AV-TEST’s performance testing awarded AVG a perfect score of 100 out of 100 for minimal system performance impact.
Do Not Disturb Mode and Gaming Optimization
AVG provides a “Do Not Disturb” mode that disables notifications and reduces background scanning intensity, allowing users to conserve CPU resources during gaming, video editing, or other performance-critical activities. This feature enables users to maintain security protection while temporarily reducing resource consumption during periods when system performance is particularly important.
Storage and Installation Requirements
AVG requires minimal disk space for installation, with specifications indicating 2 gigabytes of hard disk space and 4 gigabytes of RAM as baseline system requirements. The modular installation process allows users to selectively install additional features, enabling users with limited storage to exclude optional components like the Secure Browser, Web Shield, or Data Shredder tools if already available through other software.
Comprehensive Feature Set and Functionality
Free Version Features
The free version of AVG Antivirus provides substantive protection capabilities including real-time scanning of files and applications, detection of viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware, and phishing attempts. The free version includes Wi-Fi network security scanning, identification of unsafe websites and downloads, and protection against dangerous email attachments. Users also receive Hack Alerts that notify them when their passwords appear in known data breaches, and App Permissions Advisor that provides transparency regarding which personal information apps request access to.
Additional free features include App Lock functionality to protect sensitive applications with PIN or fingerprint authentication, a Photo Vault to securely hide private images in encrypted storage, and performance optimization tools to remove unnecessary files and free up storage space. Network Inspector functionality scans home networks and public Wi-Fi connections for security vulnerabilities and unauthorized access points. The free version operates on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS platforms, providing cross-platform protection.
Paid Subscription Features
The paid AVG Internet Security plan adds features unavailable in the free version, including ransomware-specific protection for designated folders, anti-phishing protection preventing users from accessing fake websites designed to steal credentials, enhanced firewall with customizable security levels, and payment protection for online shopping transactions. The Internet Security subscription covers up to 10 devices, Wi-Fi security scanning, and 24/7 customer support.
The premium AVG Ultimate subscription combines internet security features with additional tools including AVG Secure VPN providing encrypted connections and privacy protection, AVG TuneUp for performance optimization including disk cleaning and duplicate photo removal, and AVG AntiTrack preventing website trackers from collecting user data. The Ultimate package provides comprehensive security across all personal devices while maintaining system performance and online privacy.
Business Security Solutions
AVG offers specialized solutions for small business and enterprise environments through AVG AntiVirus Business Edition and additional business security products. Business solutions include multi-layered protection through File Shield, Email Shield, Web Shield, and Behavior Shield components working together against ransomware, malware, and sophisticated cyber threats. Remote administration capabilities enable IT administrators to install, update, and configure AVG across multiple endpoints from a centralized Cloud Management Console, facilitating efficient management of security across business networks. Advanced features include CyberCapture that automatically sends unrecognized files to Avast’s Threat Labs for analysis, RDP protection against Remote Desktop Protocol exploits, and SharePoint Server Protection for business file security.
Known Vulnerabilities and Security Incidents
Identified CVEs and Vulnerabilities
While AVG has maintained strong overall security performance, researchers have identified specific vulnerabilities in the software that security-conscious users should be aware of. CVE-2022-4173 represents a vulnerability within AVG’s malware removal functionality that allowed attackers with write access to the filesystem to escalate privileges on affected installations. This vulnerability required prior filesystem access, limiting exploitation scenarios to already-compromised systems.
CVE-2024-7234 identifies a local privilege escalation vulnerability in AVG AntiVirus Free that allowed local attackers with initial system access to escalate their privileges on affected installations. Like many antivirus vulnerabilities, this required attackers to already have local access to the system, reducing the practical risk for most users.
A Time-of-Check/Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability in the Quarantine process affected both AVG and Avast products, potentially allowing arbitrary file deletion through race conditions between the security check and file deletion operations. This vulnerability demonstrated the inherent challenge that antivirus software must operate with elevated system privileges to function effectively, making it an attractive target for advanced attackers.
Context for Vulnerability Assessment
The identification of specific vulnerabilities is not uncommon among established antivirus products, as security researchers frequently examine widely-deployed software for potential weaknesses. The existence of identified CVEs does not necessarily indicate fundamental security failures; rather, it reflects the intensive scrutiny applied to popular security software by the research community. Importantly, AVG developers have typically released patches addressing identified vulnerabilities, and the company maintains an active vulnerability management program. Users should maintain current AVG versions through automatic updates to ensure that known vulnerabilities are patched.
Comparative Performance Against Competitors
Comparison with McAfee
When directly compared to McAfee, another major antivirus competitor, AVG demonstrates competitive performance across most metrics with minor differences in specific areas. Both AVG and McAfee achieved top-product ratings from AV-TEST, with each scoring 6 out of 6 across protection, performance, and usability categories. Both products achieved approximately 99.5 percent success rates in blocking malware threats during real-world protection testing.
The primary difference between the products relates to false positive rates and handling of edge cases. In recent testing, McAfee generated only two false positives while AVG generated eight false positives, indicating that McAfee produces fewer incorrect threat identifications. However, McAfee’s scanning procedures require approximately 55 minutes to complete full system scans, while AVG achieves full scans in approximately one hour, making AVG marginally slower but still within acceptable performance ranges.
Comparison with Bitdefender
When evaluated against Bitdefender, another premium antivirus option, AVG offers competitive protection at a lower price point but with fewer advanced features. Bitdefender achieves consistently near-perfect test scores across all third-party testers and provides more comprehensive scam protection features including AI-powered Scam Copilot and advanced phishing defense. Bitdefender includes additional features like safe banking modes, comprehensive VPN service, password manager, and ad blocker functionality that distinguish it as a more feature-rich but higher-cost solution. AVG provides solid protection and excellent value for users seeking fundamental antivirus functionality without paying premium prices for advanced features.
Comparison with Avast
Interestingly, AVG and Avast are owned by the same parent company (Gen Digital) and use substantially similar or identical malware detection databases, resulting in nearly identical protection capabilities. Both products achieved identical AV-TEST scores of “Top Product,” identical AV-Comparatives ratings of Advanced+, and identical SE Labs scores of AAA. In February 2025 AV-TEST reviews, both Avast and AVG performed equally well and consistently received maximum points across all platforms. The primary differences between the products relate to user interface preferences and specific feature availability rather than fundamental security performance. AVG offers exclusive features including device lock and payment protection, while Avast provides a bank mode for secure financial transactions. Overall, users can expect essentially identical protection results with either Avast or AVG, with product selection primarily depending on personal interface preferences and specific feature requirements.
User Experience and Support
Interface Design and Ease of Use
AVG maintains a reputation for simplicity and intuitive interface design that appeals to non-technical users. The main dashboard organizes protective features into clearly labeled sections including Basic Protection (Computer, Web and Email) and Full Protection (Hacker Attacks, Privacy, Payments), with visual indicators showing security status through green or red checkmarks. The installation process provides customization options allowing users to select which additional features to install, enabling users with specific needs or storage limitations to tailor the installation.
Independent testing found that AVG’s user interface has improved significantly over time, becoming easier to navigate with less cluttered layouts and fewer overwhelming notifications. The application requires no bugs throughout use and maintains responsive performance in typical operating conditions. Users consistently praise the software’s accessibility and simplicity in customer reviews, frequently noting that AVG is easier to use than competitor products.
Customer Support and Community
AVG provides customer support through multiple channels including live chat, email contact forms, and comprehensive support documentation accessible through the company’s website. However, users report that support availability through direct phone communication is limited compared to some competitors like Avast. The software includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing users to trial the software risk-free and obtain refunds if unsatisfied.
The AVG community forum provides peer-to-peer support where users can seek assistance from other AVG users and community moderators answering common questions. These forums address frequently encountered issues and provide troubleshooting guidance, though official support response times can sometimes be extended.
User Reviews and Satisfaction Ratings
Customer reviews on major platforms reveal generally positive sentiments regarding AVG’s protection effectiveness and ease of use, though with some concerns about customer service responsiveness and subscription renewal practices. On Google Play, AVG AntiVirus for Android maintains a 4.6-star rating based on 7.94 million reviews, with users frequently praising the protective features, minimal battery usage, and ease of configuration. Users highlight the Wi-Fi scanning capability, scam protection, and app lock features as particularly valuable components.
On ConsumerAffairs, AVG maintains a 2.3-star overall rating based on 367 verified reviews, reflecting more critical customer feedback regarding billing practices, subscription renewal procedures, and customer service responsiveness. Users complain about automatic renewal charges, difficulty obtaining refunds, and challenges reaching customer support by phone. Some users report that customer service lacks transparency regarding pricing and billing terms, and that the company disregards customer communications regarding cancellations or issues.
Platform Compatibility and Installation
Operating System Support
AVG AntiVirus offers compatibility across all major operating system platforms, providing protection for Windows computers running Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, or 7 with both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures. The software supports modern Apple macOS systems including Sonoma (14.x), Ventura (13.x), Monterey (12.x), Big Sur (11.x), Catalina (10.15.x), Mojave (10.14.x), High Sierra (10.13.x), and Sierra (10.12.x). Mobile users can install AVG AntiVirus Pro on Android 9.0 (Pie) and later versions or iOS 15.0 and later on compatible iPhones and iPads. This cross-platform availability enables users to maintain consistent protection across all personal devices through a unified subscription.
Mac-Specific Considerations
Mac users should understand that traditional Windows-like viruses that self-replicate and affect macOS do not exist due to the underlying UNIX foundation and permission limitations of the Mac operating system. The macOS operating system’s sealed and read-only volume cannot be opened by users or third-party applications. However, this does not indicate that macOS is immune to threats; adware and malware can still affect Mac systems and are often downloaded from untrustworthy sources. AVG provides protection against these realistic threats while operating effectively within macOS security architecture.
When updating to macOS Sequoia (version 15.3.2 and later), some users reported receiving Apple notifications requesting permission for AVG apps to share data from other applications. These notifications reflect Apple’s privacy controls requiring explicit user consent for inter-app data access. Users can grant these permissions to allow AVG to function properly, or deny permissions if they prefer to restrict data sharing, though denying certain permissions may impact AVG’s protective capabilities.
Mobile Security and Privacy Features
Android Protection
AVG AntiVirus for Android serves more than 100 million users and provides real-time scanning of apps, games, and files with removal of malicious content. The Android application offers sensitive data protection through a password-protected Photo Vault hiding private images from unauthorized viewing, App Lock protecting sensitive applications with PIN or fingerprint authentication, and Web Shield blocking phishing websites and unsafe apps.
Users receive Hack Alerts when passwords appear in known data breaches, providing warnings to change compromised credentials, and the Application Permissions feature reveals which applications request access to sensitive user data. The Android version includes Wi-Fi security scanning identifying network vulnerabilities, junk file removal optimizing storage space, and a VPN component encrypting mobile internet traffic.
iOS and iPhone Protection
For Apple iOS devices, AVG provides similar protective features adapted for the iOS environment, including real-time malware protection, phishing detection, and privacy tools. iOS users can utilize Photo Vault for secure image storage and web protection against malicious links and phishing attempts.
Free Trial and Refund Policies
Trial Access and Money-Back Guarantees
AVG offers a 60-day free trial period for its premium services, which is notably generous compared to industry standards where most antivirus providers offer only 30-day trials. This extended trial period allows potential customers to thoroughly evaluate the software’s protective capabilities and system performance impact before committing to paid subscription. Following the trial period or upon purchase of paid subscriptions, AVG provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, enabling users to obtain full refunds if dissatisfied with the product during the initial month of subscription.
Subscription and Cancellation Terms
AVG subscriptions typically auto-renew at the end of each subscription period unless the user explicitly cancels. AVG provides advance notice of subscription period extensions through email, including instructions for cancellation. Users can manage subscriptions through their MyAccount profile or by following refund request procedures on the AVG website. Restrictions on refunds include policies preventing refunds on products purchased more than 30 days prior to refund requests, purchases through third-party retailers or resellers, and VPN services that exceeded 10 gigabytes of data transfer or 100 connection attempts.
Final Assessment of Safety and Trustworthiness
Based on comprehensive analysis of independent testing results, feature documentation, user feedback, and security research, AVG Antivirus represents a legitimate and trustworthy security solution that provides effective protection against malware and contemporary cyber threats. The software achieves perfect or near-perfect scores across independent laboratory testing by AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs, demonstrating consistent protective capabilities against known and emerging malware. The 99.96 percent malware detection rate documented in March 2025 AV-Comparatives testing provides strong evidence that AVG successfully identifies and isolates the vast majority of threats.
However, potential users should understand that AVG is not universally the “best” antivirus option for all users. The software represents a solid mid-range choice offering excellent protection at affordable pricing, making it particularly suitable for budget-conscious users seeking fundamental malware protection. Users prioritizing advanced feature sets, enhanced scam protection, or comprehensive security suites might find competitors like Bitdefender or Norton offering more comprehensive solutions, though at higher cost. Users concerned about minimizing false positives may prefer McAfee, which documented fewer false positive detections in recent testing.
The company’s collection of user data for threat intelligence and security improvement purposes is consistent with industry practices and transparent in their privacy policy, though users concerned about minimal data collection should evaluate their personal privacy requirements. The identified vulnerabilities in AVG’s code, while noteworthy, are managed through regular patching and represent security concerns common to all antivirus software operating with elevated system privileges.
Overall, AVG Antivirus provides reliable protection, maintains an established track record of three decades in cybersecurity, and operates as part of Gen Digital, a well-resourced parent company capable of supporting ongoing development and security updates. For users seeking effective antivirus protection at reasonable cost without complex feature sets, AVG represents a safe and dependable choice supported by extensive independent laboratory validation.
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